Method of and machine for treating and laying strip material from packages



C METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR TREA www July 25, 1944.

A. C. FISCHER METHOD 0F AND MACHINE FOR TREATING AND A July 25, 1944.

l LAYING STRIP MATERIAL FROM PACKAGES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 261940 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 A. C. FISCHER METHOD oF AND MACHINE EoR .TREATINGAND LAYIMG STRIP MATERIAL FROM. PACKAGES Filed Jan. 26, 1940 Julyzs,y1944.

METHD OF AND MACHINE FOR TREATING AND LAYING STRIP MATERIAL FROMPACKAGES July 25, 1944. A. c.- FISCHER I Filed Jan. 2e, 1940 5sheets-sheet 4 July 25, 1944. A. c. FISCHER 2,354,586 METHOD 0E ANDMACHINE FOR TREATING AND LAYING STRIP MATERIAL FROM PACKAGES Filed Jan.26, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 fia 75 I faz I Patented July 25, 1944 METHCD FAND MACHINE FOR TBEATING AND LAYING STRIP MATERIAL f FROM PACKAGESAlbert C. Fischer, Chicago, Ill. y

Application January 26, 1940, Serial No. 315,681

12 Claims.

l This invention relates to machines for treating and depositingmaterial while being advanced over a space for receiving the same. Moreparticularly, the invention concerns machines for treating and lling thecrevices at sectional joints in concrete paving or the like, and forlaying roofing paper or other similar materials upon flat surfaces.

The invention further contemplates and has for its objects an improvedstrip convertible into a plastic or semi-duid condition upon theapplication of heat by said machines to provide a medium for sealing andsecuring the deposited materials in place; a new package embodyingA suchstrip; a new process of preparing the space for receiving the strip andof depositing the strip and other materials within said space; and novelapparatus for carrying out said process. 'An additionalobject is theprovision of a process of and machine for laying a compressible stripwithin a paving joint crevice or the like.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a machine constructed in accordancewith the principles of the present invention and which is adapted toclean a paving crevice or the like, to apply a cementitious material tothe crevice and to lay a 1111er strip within such crevice, there beingparts broken away for clarity;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal' sectional view taken through said machinesubstantially upon the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig.. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modied .form offeeding passage adaptable to the machine of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken transversely of adjacentpaving slabs, illustrating a crevice between such slabs and a pavingiiller striptherein of the type adapted to be inserted by the apparatusshown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a modified form of machine for cleaning and lining a pavingjoint crevice with a cementitious material preparatory to its receivingla iiller strip;

Fig. 6 is a filler strip laying machine which is adapted to deposit afiller strip in a paving joint crevice;

Fig. I is a modied form of machine which is adapted both to clean apaving crevice and to lai a illler strip therein, the view being a sideeleva- Fig. 10 is a, transverse vertical sectional view taken on theline III-I0 of Fig'. 9.

Referring now to -the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2thereof, the machine there shown is for treating a crevice I0 which isbetween two adjacent paving slabs or the like Il and I2. The lower partof the crevice I0, when the crevice is between paving slabs, willnormally be filled by an asphaltic plank I3. Both the slabs Il and I2and the lower edge of the plank I3 rest upon a prepared earth bed I4.

The machine frame comprises a pair of parallel side members I5 and I6.The side member I5 has a'rearwardly and upwardly inclined section I1offset outwardly from the front or main body of this member. Similarly,an upwardly inclined rear section I8 is onset outwardly from theforepart of the side member I6.

Axle bolts 20, 2I, 22 and 23 interconnect the foreparts of the framemembers I5 and I6 and have respectively journalled thereon, between saidframe members, a cleaner brush 24, a'coat-` ing applicator brush 25, alcombination driving and guide roller 26 and a guide roller 21.

Said brush member 24 has a center section 28 of bristles sufciently longto reach downwardly. into the crevice I0, and sections 29 upon each sidethereof with bristles of a length to sweepingly engage the slabs II andI2 adjacent to said crevice. Sections 30 and 3l of the brush 25respectively correspond to the sections 28 and 29 of the brush 24.

The guide and driving roller 26 provides part of the machine runninggear, said roller being adapted to bear upon the adjacent edges of theslabs II and I2 and having a center flange 32 which is of limited widthto enable it to project downwardly into the crevice I0. The guide roller21 is also provided with a central iiange, 33,'

which is adapted to .project downwardly into the crevice.

A part of the machine running gear is comprised of a broad roller ordrum 34 of comparatively large diameter. This roller is journalled atits hollow trunnions 35 within countersunk bearing portions 36 of burnershields 31 which are anchored inthe offset frame sections I1 and I9.Because of the axial extent of the drum 34 the vehicular machine hasadequate'lateral support to enable it to stand upright without theassistance of an attendant.

A sleeve (not shown), rotatively disposed upon the bolt 22, is connectedwith the hub of the driving roller 26`and projects through the framemember I6 where it hasa gear 3B connected nonrotatively therewith. Thusthe gear y38 is connected for rotation with the driving roller 26. Agear 39 meshes with the gear 39 and is journalled upon a shaft 40 whichis anchored in the side member I6 and a bracket member 4I that isconnected to the frame member by bolts 4|'. Also rotatively disposedupon the bolt 40 is a sprocket 42, and this sprocket is suitablyconnected with the gear 39 to be driven thereby.

The bolt 2| rotatively carries a sleeve (not shown) which extendsthrough the frame mem ber I6 where it has flxed'thereto sprocket wheels43 and 44. Said sleeve is xed to the hub of the brush member 25 wherebysaid brush member and the sprockets 43 and 44 are connected for rotationin unison. Another sleeve (not shown), rotatlvely disposed upon the bolt20, is secured to the hub ofthe cleaner brush 24 and carries forrotation therewith a sprocket wheel 45. A- chain 46 operably connectsthe sprocket Wheels 42 and 43r whereas a chan^41 similarly connects thesprocket Wheels 44 and 45. It will be seen, therefore, that when themachine is advanced, toward the left, the frictional engage.- ment ofthe roller 26 with the slabs Il and I2 will cause it and the gear 38 torotate counterclockwise'as indicated by the arrow adjacent to the roller26 in Fig. 1. The gear 38 then causes the gear 39 and the sprocket wheel42 to rotate clockwise, and the chain 46 interconnecting the sprocketwheels 42 and 43 is then operable to impart clockwise rotation to thesprocket wheel 43 which, in turn, imparts clockwise rotation to lthesprocket wheel 44 and to the applicator brush 25. Chain 41 is theneffective for transmitting driving force from the sprocket 44 to thesprocket 45 for imparting clockwiserotation to the brush member 24. Inother words, the brush members 24 and 25 are driven through the powertransmission mechanism comprising the aforesaid gears, sprockets, andchains, fromthe driver roller 26 and caused to rotate in the directionopposite to that of said driver roller.

Manipulation and advancement of the machine is accomplished by manualforce applied to a backwardly and upwardly extending control shaft 48having a. handle bar 49 attached to its upper end. Said control bar issuitably anchored at its lower` end in a socket member 50 which includesa ring l carried 'about a long bolt 52. This bolt 52 is inserted throughholes in the back end sections of the frame members l5 and I6 andthrough spacer sleeves 53 and 54 which are disposed upon opposite sidesof the ring 5l. When a wing nut 55 is loosened, sufficient play ispossible between a serrated edge 56 of the base member ring 5I and acomplemental serrated end 51 of the spacer sleeve 54 to permit angularadjustment of the control shaft 48 about the bolt 52. After the desiredadjustment is obtained, it is preserved by simply tightening the wingnut 55 for holding the serrations 56 and 51 tightly meshed.

A pair of identical standards each comprising upwardly converging legs58 and 59 rise respectively from the frame side members I5 and I6 andare apertured as at 50 at their upper ends for receiving a reel-holdingrod 6l. This rod 6l is adapted to rotatively carry a reel 62 having astrip 63 of joint filler material wound thereabout. The reel is placedupon the machine by aligning its opposite ends with the standardapertures 60, whereupon the rod 6I is inserted through said aperturesAand through a center axial opening in the reel. Such reel is removedwhen desired, by simply withdrawing the rod 6l.

This ller strip 63 may be made from a viscous hydrocarbon material suchas asphalt having compounded therewith a suitable brous material totoughen it and a petroleum oil to increase its flexibility so that itwill unwind readily from the reel in cold weather. Mineral matter suchas powdered lime may also be added in amounts up to to harden the stripand to prevent the contiguous surfaces from sticking together upon thereel. While asphalt is named as a suitable material from which to makethe strip 63, it is to be understood that any material will do whichmelts quickly when heated and which has the proper physicalcharacteristics when deposited in the crevice. threaded downwardly fromthe reel through a heater passage generally designated 64. This passagecomprises downwardly converging side walls 65 and 66, a front wall 61which slants backwardly and the lower forward cylindrical periphery ofsaid drum. The lower end of this passage is arranged for registry withthe crevice l0 and serves .as guiding means for directing the strip 63into said crevice while the machine is advanced as presently explained.

Heating means comprising burners generally designated 68 areincorporated into the passage structure. Each of these burners 68includes a gas mixing tube 69 having a plurality of apertures 10 for theadmittance of air for forming a combustible mixture with gas vapordischarged l from jet members 1| which are in threaded engagement withthe extended ends of said tubes 69. Gas vapor under pressure is admittedto the jet members 1| through conduits as 12 and 13. The amount of vapordischarged from the jets and hence the flame intensity i's regulatableby conventional valves under control of handles 14.

Jet members 1|', in threaded relation with the mixing tubes 31, are fedwith gas vapor through conduits 12 and 13' which correspond to theconduits 12 and 13. Valves operated by valve stem handles 14' are forregulating the amount of vapor delivered to the jet members 1l', and airfor mixing with this Avapor is obtained through holes as 10' in themixing tubes 31.

Said conduits 12, 13, 12 and 13 lead from a gas pressure tank 15 whichmay be partly lled with gasolene or other volatile combustible Inaterial16. This tank may be filled through an opening closed by a cap 11; Apump of any conventional construction, manipulatable by a reciprocaloperating member 18, may be associated with the tank 15 as a means ofcreating pressure therein. Said tank 15 is supported at its rearmost endupon a pair of L-shaped brackets 19 which are respectively secured tothe frame pieces l5 and 6. The frontend of this tank is carried by abracket that depends from the rear end of a second tank 8l.

Said tank 8l is for holding liquid cementitious material 82 such as arubber cement which is to be applied to the side walls of the crevice IDprior to deposit of the strip 63 therein. Support means for the tank 8lis provided in the form of upright rods 83 which engage the bottom ofthe tank and are carried at their lower ends in the machine frame.Access is had into the tank through an opening elosable by a cap 84.Contained within the bottom of the tank 8l is a discharge spout 85placed directly above the applicator brush 25. Said spout 85 is elosableand regulatable in the amount of ow permitted by a-needle valve member86 under control of a handle member 81 which is rotatable to advance orretract a valve stem 88 in threaded relation with a flanged bushing 89.When the handle 81 is turned to withdraw the valve member 86 fromv itsseat in the lower part of the spout 85,

'Ihe free end of the strip is Operation of the machine In setting themachine in operation, some of the cementitious material 82 will bedisposed by means of the brush or applicator member 25v in the initialpart of the crevice l which is to be `iilled with the stripv 63. Thecontrol handles as 14 of all of the burners will have been opened toadmit gas and the burners ignited for heating up the walls of the strippassage 64 and of the drum 34. The free end of the strip 63 will then befed downwardly into the passage 64 where the flames from the burnerscomprising the jet members 'il will be played upon the strip to melt atleast the surface portion thereof to impart to the strip a tackysurface. The thus treated end portion of the strip will then beprojected through the strip guiding section at the lower end of thepassage into said initial portion of the crevice and the machineadvanced to run the drum 34 onto the strip for pressing it downwardlyand rmly into the crevice. It willbe observed that the passage 64together with the burners comprising the jet members 1| serves as aheating means or chamber. Heat is imparted to the flight of the stripwithin the passage by the chamber walls including the periphery of thedrum 34 which is also heated by burners.- Such heat adds to theflexibility of the strip and to its softness, thus expediting thefunction of the pressing-in drum or roller 34 for depositing the stripin the crevice. Especially are the sides of the strip heated to asemi-liquid state by the iiames which are played directly thereon fromthe burners upon the pas- -sage side walls 65 and 66. When the sides ofthe strip are thus treated they readily conform t0 minute irregularityin the sides of the crevice l0 when and after being pressed thereinto bythe roller 34.

'I'he heat developed by the burners will be se- Sealing of the strip tothe crevice side walls is augmented by the cementitious material whichis applied to these walls by the applicator brush 25, and the valvemember 86 will also be adjusted to selectively regulate the amount ofcementitious material which is discharged for applying to the crevicewalls in accordance with the speed at which the machine is advanced.

The above described machine is also adaptable to the laying of acompressible strip into a crevice as I0; that is, a sealing strip whichis simply compressed lbefore being deposited in the crevice and thenpermitted to expand for grippingthe crevice side walls and thus holdingit in sealing section and tothe roller drum 34 is illustrated by dottedlines in Fig. 1. Said rollers 96 will be spaced apart a distance notexceeding the width of the crevice I0 so the strip will be suillcientlycompressed to enable it to be readily pressed into the crevice by thedrum 34. The hollow strip 95 is compressed :by the rollers as indicatedin Fig. 3, and when it is laid within the crevice I0 it exipands to somesuch shape as that illustrated in Fig. 4, the strip having longitudinalribs 01 which impingingly engage the crevice side walls. 'I'he strip maybe, of course, of any other cross sectional -sh pe. When the strip ismade of rubber the burners will not Ibe active during the layingiprocess.

a character for having a surface section thereof melt or soften underheat to form a plastic adhesive coating. It would be possible, however,to coat a compressible strip, as one of cork, with an asphaltic materialand run the burners at low heat for melting the surface coating and thuscause the strip to be adhesively as well as impingingly engaged with thecrevice side walls when in place. During the laying of a compressiblestrip, the cleaner brush 24 will serve as before for cleaning thecrevice, and the lbrush 26 may be used for coating the surface of thecrevice with material from the tank 8|.

Also in the above machine, the heating chamber 64 may lbe adapted forholding a bath of liqvuid sealing material, heated .or unheated, and

through which any kind of strip is passed to incur a coating of sealingmaterial rprior to being `deposited in the crevice. l

It may be found advantageous by some to reduce the mass of the unitarymachinery for cleaning, coating and filling a crevice. For example, somemay prefer to have the machine'shown in Figs. 1 and 2 built intoseparate units as those shown respectively in Figs. 5 and 6. The machinein Fig. 5 is for cleaning and coating the crevice, whereas the machineshown in Fig. 6 is for la ing the sealing strip. Excepting for thearrangement of the runnin gear shown in Fig. 5 this machine is similarto the forepart of the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Consequently, forexpedience ofv disclosure, the parts shown in Fig. 5 which correspond tothose shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are identied by the same respectivereference characters with I the letter a added. Said machine -has a pairof guide rollers |00 and 26a with central ilanges |02 and 32a whichproject downwardly into the crevice I 0a for holding the course of themachine similarly to the iianges 32 and 33 shown in Fig. v1.

` Of these rollers the roller 26a is also a driving relation therewith.Such a strip will ordinarily position oi these rollers relative to saidguiding roller for driving the brushes 24a and 25a through the drivengears, sprockets and chains in the manner hereinabove described. In thismanner the cleaning brush 24a is caused to rotate clockwise for sweepingthe debris forwardly from the crevice. The applicator brush 25a isadapted to receive a liquid cementitious material from the tank siathrough the meting valve a for coating the crevice side walls. Thismachine is pushed and manipulated manually through a handle member 48awhich is anchored in a socket 50a with ibifurcated leg portions '|03(one being shown) upon opposite sides of the roller 26a and aperturedfor receiving the axle bolt 22a and frame bolts |04;

'The strip laying machine shown in Fig. 6 is comprised of parts, which,for the most part, correspond respectively to the parts making up theNeither will these burners be active in any event when the strip beinglaid is not of flanged guide rollers.

back portion oi.' the machine shown in Figs.'1 and 2. 'I'hesecorresponding parts are identied'bythe same reference characters withthe letter b added. Because of the diminished length of this machine theframe side member |5b is consider'- ably shortened, and a flanged guidewheel ||0,`

An embodiment of the invention shown Figs. '1 and 8 is designed forcleaning and filling irregularly formed cracks and crevices whichfrequently occur in concrete paving slabs or the like after they havebeensubjected to alternate expansions and contractions caused bychanging weather conditions. This machine also embodies parts whichcorrespond to and serve the same functions as parts already describedwith reference to Figs. 1 and 2. These corresponding parts will beidentified by the same respective reference characters with the letterc'added.

It will be observed that this machine omits the In lieu of guide rollersthe machine has a narrow extended section |20 upon the lower end of thepassage member 64e y for projecting into a crevice as |0c. Having but asingle projection into a crevice as |00 enables the machine to .bepivoted sharply about this point and thus to follow the tortuous coursefrequently defined by these fortuitous crevices.

The frame side members spaced apart-at their front sections the samedistance as at their back sections which are at opposite sides of theheating drum 34e, such spacing at the front being such as to accommodateIn this machine embodiment a hub portion of f the heater drum 34extending through the frame members |6c carries a gear |22 which mesheswith a gear |23. Said gear |23 is disposed rota- .tively upon a shaftanchored in the frame side member [6c and in a side bracket 4|c. Alsorotatable upon this shaft is a sprocket wheel |24 which rotates with thegear 23. Driving force is transmitted from the roller drum 34e throughthe gears |22 and |23, the sprocket wheel |24, a chain |25 and asprocket wheel |26 which is connected with the hub of the brush 2| fordrivingthe same.

The machine as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 is for .unwinding and laying asheet of roofing paper or the like upon a flat surface and foradhesively attaching the sheet to the surface by means of a semi-liquidsealing material obtained by applying heat to and melting av strip ofthe sealing material as it isunwound from a reel. This machine is builtabout a frame which comprises a pair of identical L-shaped side pieceseach of which has a horizontal legl |3| and an upright leg |32, saidlegs being joined by a diagonally" rotatively mounted upon each shafttion by a spanning plate |33 which has at its ends downwardly directedflanges |34 which are respectively secured to the members |3| by boltsas |35. Crossbars as |36 and |31 are similarly secured between theupright legs |32 to which they are held by means of b'olts as |38. Apair of front wheels are journalled upon a front axle |46.

An axially removable reel-holding rod |39 is carried in the upper endsof the vertical frame members or standards |32 for rotatively supportinga roll |40 of roong paper or the like. An additional rod |4| isremovably supported between the upright members |32 for rotativelysupporting a pair of reels |42 and |43 comprising flexible strips |44 ofmeltable sealing material such as asphalt meltable at low temperature.

A flight |41 unwound from the roll |40 extends downwardly inengagementwith the periphery of the strip material upon the reels |42and |43 and about the forward and under periphery of a roller |41' sothat when the machine is advanced, the pressure upon the sheet by thisroller, together with the adhesive connection of the laid portion of thesheet with the surface to which it is being applied, will provide ananchorage for pulling -upon the flight |41 and causing the sheet'to beunwound from the roll |40. The

machine is pushed forwardly by manual force applied to a handled bar |48secured crosswise to the upper end of a .steering shaft |49 which isanchored in a socket |50. Thissocket |50 is secured to a cross-rod |51extending between and A anchored in the frame uprights |32.

A pair of arms |52 (of which one is shown) are pivotally secured upon arod |53 which also is anchored in the uprights |32. These arms |52rotatively carry a roller |54 upon a spindle |55.-

Said arms |52 are urged counterclockwise by a spring |56 so as toconstantly press thc roller |54 against that portion of the flight |41which lengages the wound strip material upon the reels `I58, Fig. 10, isprovided for each of the strips |44. Said rolls are carried rotativelybetween the opposed parts of brackets |59 and |60 which are anchoredrespectively to a frame diagonal member |33 and to a frame upright |32.An additional guide roller, |6|, is also disposed between the opposedsections of each set of brackets |59 and |50.

' Immediately below and forwardly of each guide roller IBI there is apair ofl friction rollers |62 and |63 which have grooved peripheries forcomplementally receiving and gripping the associated strip |44 andpulling it from the adjacent roller |6|. rI'he roller |62 of thesepaired rollers, Fig. 9, is journalled upon a short shaft |64reciprocally carried in an elongated opening |65. in a bracket |66secured to the adjacent frame member |33. The other roller. |63, ofthese pairs is rotatively mounted upon a stub shaft |61 that is anchoredwithin a bracket |68 secured to the associated frame member |3|.

|61, and connected with its associated gear |63 for mutual rotation, isa sprocket wheel |69 driven by a chain |10 from a sprocket wheel |1|which is Also fixed for rotation with the roller |41'. Each of thereciprocal shafts |64 is connected by a With particular reference to theheating means for the right-most strip |44, Fig. 10, an opening ispresent in the top of the chamber for receiving the strip'as it passesfrom the rollers |62 and |63. A flame from the burner is directedagainst the strip |44 shortly after it enters the heating chamber. Themelting point of the strip is such that it melts quickly from the heatabsorbed from the chamber walls which become heated from the flame andby the heat absorbed directly from the vflame played upon it. The heatedmelted liquid material falls into an elongated distributor tube |16. Thetubes |16 extend laterally of the machine and slightly downwardly towardone another. The melted materialv in the bottom thereof is constantlyheated and thus kept semi-liquid by the hot blast from the burner, whichblast is discharged throughv trated as a single opening there may be aseries of openings spaced longitudinally of these members, and such aconnotation is to be given to the term opening as used in connectionwith these parts in the appended claims.

The burners |14 are of any conventional construction. A combustiblegasis supplied thereto through conduits |18 and |19 from a pressure tank|80. Control handles |82 are rotatable for controlling the degree ofopening of valves within the burners to determine the amount of fuelpassed into the burner mixing tubes |83 and hence the intensity of theame directed into the heating chambers |13.

While I have shown two reels of meltable sealing strip material' uponthe machine, obviously a machine of this kind is adaptable for using asingle reel with a corresponding single set of guide rollers as |51, |58and |6I, a single heating unit and a single distributor. Also it iswithin the scope of the present invention to provide any additionalnumber of setsvof guiding rollers, heating units and distributors forhandling strips as they are unwound from the like number of reels.

In the operation of this machine, after an unwound end portion of thepaper roll |40 has been threaded downwardly between the roller |54 andthe periphery of the wound sealing strips and beneath the roller |41',and after the sealing strips have been threadedabout and between theirrespective rollers and inserted into their respective heating chambers|13 and the burners lighted for melting the portion of the strips withinthese chambers, the machine may be advanced by an operator whilegrasping the handle bar |48. The melted material will then be dischargedthrough the bottoms -of the distributors |16 to cover an area with themelted sealing material prior to the paper being laid upon that area andpressed into position by the roller I 41'.

'It will be observed, since the strip material is fed into the meltingchambers |13 at the same speed at which the paper is unwound for laying'upon the surface, that the amount of sealing material deposited beneaththe paper can be accurately determined by using a strip of selectedcross-sectional area. The amount of fuel consumed in the combustionchambers '|13, such amount being regulated by the control handles |82,will be determined by the cross-sectional fed into one or more chambers.

A further advantage of employing a plurality of burners and combustionchambers for melting the material is that the distributors can beshortened so that the sealing liquid may flow a shorter distance beforebeing discharged.

I claim: l. A crevice filling vehicular machine comprising a frame,means on said frame for holding a length of thermoplastic crevice fillerstrip chorage for the strip whereby it is caused to pay out asv themachine is advanced along the crevice.

,guide means on said frame, said guide means being disposed forembracing an unwound section of said strip night adjacently to theportion inserted in the crevice and in registry with and in closeproximity with the crevice for directing the payed out strip into thecrevice during such advancement of the machine, means for heating saidstrip flight to increase its plasticity and thus facilitate the disposalof the stripl into said crevice, and means for disposition in registrywith the crevice in trailing relation with respect to said guide meansand for pressing the heated strip into the crevice pursuant to advanceof the machine.

2. In a vehicular machine for depositing a wound but unwindable sealingstrip which is meltable when subjected to heat, the combination ofholding means for such a wound strip and adapted for the unwinding ofsuch strip pursuant to advancement of the machine while the free end ofthe strip is held fast, a heated passage for receiving the strip as itunwinds, andr filled.

4. In a machine for meting out and depositing within a traversed path astrip of sealing material which becomes tacky when subjected to heat,the combination of strip holding means path. and heater means forshrouding a. section of the strip between said strip holding means andsaid guiding means, and the heatintensity of said heater means beingregulatable in intensity to melt only the outer portion of said strip asit passes therethrough for guiding to the place of deposit.

5. In a machine for meting out and depositing within a traversed path astrip of sealing material-which becomes tacky when subjected to heat,the combination of strip holding means fr om which the strip can bewithdrawn endwise, guiding means for directing the meted out portion ofthe strip predeterminedly into said path, a heater passage for shroudinga section of the strip between said strip holding means and said guidingmeans, and torch means adapted to direct a flame substantially upon theshrouded section of a strip.

6. In a mobile machine for lling paving crevices or the like with apreformed strip which becomes tacky when heated, the combination ofmeans adapted to axially feed said strip, guiding means for directingthe strip into the crevice as it is fed from said holding means, heatermeans adapted to enclose a section of the strip between said feedingmeans and said guiding means, a heating roller to the rear of saidguiding means and adapted to press the strip into the crevice as themachine advances, and said heating roller formingl a side wall of saidheating means. A

7. In a machine for lling a paving crevice or the like with a preformedstrip, the combination of means for axially feeding said strip, a guideroller adapted to bear weight of the machine and projectable into thecrevice to cause the machine to follow said crevice, a cleaner brushrotatable about an axis disposed transversely of the machine and of awidth to enable the bristles thereof to project downwardly into thecrevice, a crevice liner applicator member rearwardly of said brush andalso rotatable about an axis disposed transversely of the machine and ofa width and diameter to provide for its projecting downwardly into thecrevice, a reservoir above said applicator member, means for directingcontents of the reservoir upon said applicator member, means actuated bysaid guide roller for rotating said applicator member and for rotatingsaid brush in the opposite direction of said roller during machineadvancement, and means rearwardly of said applicator member forreceiving and directing the axially fed strip into the crevice.

8. In a machine for filling a paving crevice or the like with apreformed strip, the combination of means for axially feeding saidstrip, a roller adapted to bear `weight of the machine, means projectinginto the crevice to cause the machine to follow the crevice, a cleanerbrush rotatable about an axis disposed transversely of the machine andof a width to enable the bristles thereof to project downwardly into thecrevice, a crevice liner applicator member rearwardly of said brush andalso rotatable about an axis disposed transversely of the machine and ofa width and diameter to provide for its projecting downwardly into thecrevice, a reservoir above said applicator member, means for directingcontents of the reservoir upon said applicator member, means actuated bysaid roller for rotating said applicator member and for rotating saidbrush in the opposite direction of said roller during machineadvancement, and means rearwardly of said applicator member forreceiving and directing the axially fed strip into the crevice.

9. In a machine for filling paving crevices or the like with' apreformed strip that tends to liquify when heated, running gear for saidmachine, a brush member rotatable about an axis disposed transversely ofthe machine, operating means for said brush and actuated by said runninggear for rotating said brush in the opposite direction .to the rotationof said running gear, means adapted to axially feed said strip, meansfor guiding the axially fed strip into the crevice, and heater meansembracing a portion of the strip between said strip feeding means andsaid guiding means and adapted to heat at least a surface portion ofsaid strip'for transforming such portion of the strip into a semi-liquidcondition.

10. In a machine for filling paving crevices or the like with apreformed strip, a running gear including a plurality of rollers ofwhich at least a portion are adapted to project down-- wardly into acrevice to serve as guide means for the machine, an applicator memberrotatable about an axis transversely of said machine and adapted toproject downwardly into said crevice, means for rotating saidapplicator, a reservoir on said machine including means for directingcontents thereof onto said applicator member, means adapted to axiallyfeed said strip, means rearwardly of said applicator member forreceiving and directing the fed portion of the strip into said crevice,and heating means adapted to enclose a portion of the ,strip disposedbetween said holding means and said guiding means and operable to heatat least the surface portion of the strip to transform such portion intoa semiiiuid state preparatory to being directed into the crevice by saidguiding means.

1l. The method of lling a crevice with a ller strip-having a surfaceportion convertible into a, semi-liquid when sufliciently heated,comprising the steps of conveying a wound unit of such strip along thecrevice, unwinding the strip from the unit during such conveyance,heating the strip as it unwinds from the unit to so convert said surfaceportion thereof, and depositing the heated strip in the crevice.

12. A crevice filling vehicular machine comprising a frame, means onsaid frame for holding a length of thermoplastic crevice filler strip ina manner that it is payable out endwise therefrom so a portion of aflight payed out from said holding means is insertable in a section of acrevice to be lled by the strip to provide an anchorage for the stripwhereby it is caused to pay out as the machine is advanced along thecrevice, means for heating said strip flight to increase its plasticityand thus facilitate the disposal thereof into said crevice, and meansconnected with said frame in position to bear upon the portion of thestrip flight substantially as it is inserted into the crevice and forpressing upon the inserted portion of said strip iiight for forcing thesame into the crevice.

ALBERT C. FISCHER.

